RAMALLAH, January 28, 2016 (WAFA) – The demolition of two Palestinian owned houses in Jerusalem and Israeli Supreme Court’s rejection of an appeal to release hunger striking Journalist Mohammad al-Qiq from administrative detention dominated the three Palestinian Arabic dailies.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported that Israeli occupation forces demolished two houses in the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Shu‘fat and Jabal al-Mukabir. Al-Hayat al-Jadida explained that a house and the foundations of another were demolished.

Al-Quds added the houses were demolished under the pretext of unlicensed building and in order to construct a by-pass road to be used by settlers.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam added in this regard that Israeli forces physically assaulted one of the families and other Palestinians who protested the demolitions, injuring 15. Al-Ayyam added that as a result of the house demolitions, 19 Palestinians were now displaced.

Furthermore, the Israeli Supreme Court’s rejection of an appeal to release hunger striking journalist al-Qiq hit the front page headlines in the dailies.

Al-Quds reported in this regard that the Israeli court made the release of al-Qiq contingent upon his critical health condition.  

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that the court decided to keep al-Qiq in administrative detention despite his deteriorating health condition. Al-Ayyam added that the court wants to examine reports about al-Qiq’s health condition in order to take a verdict.

It is worth noting in this respect that al-Qiq, 33, a journalist, began an open-ended hunger strike on November 25, 2015, refusing to take nutrients and undergo medical checkups in protest of his ongoing administrative detention.

Furthermore, al-Quds and al-Ayyam highlighted two alleged Palestinian stabbing attacks against Israeli soldiers and settlers in Jerusalem.

Al-Quds reported that an Israeli settler was injured in a new stabbing attack near Givat Zeev settlement, north of Jerusalem, and that the suspected Palestinian perpetrator was detained. This was featured as the main front page news article in al-Quds.

Al-Ayyam reported that a Palestinian young man was detained following an alleged stabbing attempt at Qalandiya military checkpoint, south of Ramallah.

Highlighting Israeli detentions, al-Ayyam reported that Israeli forces detained two young Palestinians at a Hebron checkpoint, while al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that forces detained 10 Palestinians from the West Bank and four Gaza fishermen.

The dailies highlighted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s comments highlighting Palestinian frustration of a 50-year-long Israeli occupation, criticizing Israeli policies of settlement construction and house demolitions and casting doubt over Israel’s commitment to the two-state solution.

Al-Quds reported that Israeli assailed Ban’s comments and accused him of “stoking terror”, while al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that Ban insisted on his comments regarding Israeli occupation.

K.F/M.H